Governor Blagojevich announces Illinois will open its doors this week to 5,000 to 10,000 Hurricane Katrina victims

CHICAGO -Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced Illinois will likely take in 10,000 displaced victims from the Gulf Coast states ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. The State will immediately provide housing, medical care, food, clothing and any emergency services displaced families and individuals need at this time of crisis. The Governor also called on the entire community to match the State of Illinois' coordinated relief effort to assist displaced victims. The Governor's announcement and call to the community underscores Illinois' response to the humanitarian crisis in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Since the onset of the tragedy, Illinois has provided medical personnel, troops and other forms of assistance to the disaster area, while making services available here to victims.

 

"Hurricane Katrina has devastated the lives of thousands of men, women and children in the Gulf Coast. We must unite as a community to assist those who are desperately in need, and make sure displaced victims know Illinois can help them. We're taking 5,000 to 10,000 victims," said Governor Blagojevich, who met today at a town hall style meeting in Chicago's Quinn Chapel with federal and state legislators, area ministers, community leaders, not-for-profit organizations, social service providers and business leaders, to discuss how the community can assist the state in reaching out to victims.

 

"Whether it's housing, feeding, clothing and providing medical care to displaced victims, sending troops from the Illinois National Guard to the Gulf Coast, opening our classrooms to children who have been left without school, or helping residents in those states file unemployment claims, we will do everything in our power to help them cope with this tragedy. Our efforts will only be successful if we all pitch in. That's why today I'm calling on the community to join us in assisting displaced families and individuals, meeting their urgent needs and helping them get back on their feet as quickly as possible," said the Governor.

 

Displaced victims will start arriving in area airports on Monday, and will be immediately provided by the State, the Red Cross and other social service providers with housing in the Chicagoland area, Springfield and Alton. To date, nearly 500 victims from Gulf Coast states have already arrived in Illinois, and are being assisted by state agencies and the Red Cross.

 

Under direction from the Governor, the state's agencies are prepared to provide housing, medical care, food, clothing and crisis counseling to Gulf Coast victims. The state's coordinated efforts will also make possible for displaced families and individuals to get connected to other state services, and with not-for-profit community organizations that can also provide additional help.

 

Gov. Blagojevich has encouraged Illinois residents, as well as all state and public universities employees who want to help hurricane victims to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Donations can be made by calling 800-HELP-NOW or 800-257-7575 (Spanish), or through a secure Internet site at www.redcross.org.

 

Additionally, the Governor has set up a toll-free number that is part of the state's centralized effort to assist displaced persons who come to Illinois. The number, 1-800-843-6154 will stay in service for as long as needed.

 

By calling the number, displaced families will be able to find out how and where they can get food, clothing and medical care. Operators from the Department of Human Services will also be able to offer information on food stamps, emergency and temporary housing, and K-12 public school enrollment.

 

The toll-free line, which is part of a multi-agency effort to respond to the humanitarian crisis in the Gulf Coast, will also provide unemployment information, help displaced veterans find out what services are available to them in Illinois, and provide assistance to persons with disabilities and seniors.

 

Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall Monday, Gov. Blagojevich ordered all state agencies to respond in a coordinated manner to help both the recovery and cleanup efforts in the Gulf Coast, and the victims coming into Illinois. Illinois' efforts to date include: